THE skills shortage in Wiltshire is a 'ticking time bomb' that threatens local businesses according to Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan.

She has called on the government to smash the stigma around subjects like science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) after raising her concerns in the House of Commons last week.

In a question to Prime Minister David Cameron, who recently visited the constituency to make an EU announcement at Chippenham-based Siemens, Miss Donelan, called on the Government to do more to ‘break the stigma’ around STEM subjects.

The Conservative MP, who is also a member of the Education Select Committee, said it was undermining the work that the Government had done on job creation.

Mr Cameron said: “There are special circumstances in Wiltshire, because it has the enormous success of Dyson, which is hiring engineers and skilled mathematicians and scientists from every university in the country, and long may that continue.

“What we will do is help by training 3 million apprentices in this Parliament, and we are giving special help to teachers of STEM subjects and encouraging them into teaching.

“I think there is a lot that business and industry can do to help us in this by going into schools and talking about what these modern engineering careers are all about, how much fulfilment people can get from these careers, to encourage people to change the culture when it comes to pursuing these careers.”

The timely rally for businesses comes as over 300 manufacturing and engineering companies have received invited to Wiltshire’s first Festival of Engineering which Miss Donelan is organising for September.

She said: “For too long science and engineering subjects and apprenticeships have been seen as second-class qualifications, but they are not. They are essential if the UK is to remain a global leader in product design.

“Businesses tell me they cannot recruit adequately trained staff, it is the Government’s responsibility to ensure that our education system delivers on that need.

“We must smash the stigma around STEM subjects, businesses up and down the country are at risk if urgent action is not taken.”